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Ethics
in Figure Manipulation
APS uses
digital publishing methods throughout the journal production process.
Authors submit text and figures electronically to an online submission and
peer review system and accepted materials are edited by electronic means.
Technology has made, and continues to make, the publication process
stronger, faster, and more robust. Unfortunately, technology and
applications, such as Adobe Photoshop, also made
it easier to manipulate data.
However,
digital workflows also make the files accessible to journal editors, who
armed with the same tools, can reveal manipulations once hidden in paper
figures.
APS asks
that their authors use care when creating and submitting digital image
files.
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Authors should
not
move, remove, introduce, obscure or enhance any specific
feature within any (digital) image.
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Authors should
not
adjust contrast, color balance or brightness unless applied
to the entire figure and disclosed in the figure legend.
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Authors should
not
obscure, eliminate, or misrepresent the originally-captured
information.
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If
parts of different gels, fields, or exposures are grouped or rearranged,
then dividing lines must be used to indicate these changes, and disclosure
of the arrangement must be added in the figure legend. Even if the
arrangement is from the same capture, the rearrangement or deletion of
lanes, fields, etc, is discouraged, but if there is any such deletion or
rearrangement, it must be disclosed in the legend;
Any question of improper
manipulation raised during the review or editing process will be brought to the Editor
and Publications Committee Chair for review. If called into question,
authors should be prepared to provide the following information:
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Make and
model of microscope
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Type,
magnification and numerical aperture of objective lenses
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Fluorochromes
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Imaging
medium
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Temperature
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Camera make
and model
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Acquisition
software
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Subsequent
software used for image processing, as well as details regarding
the operations performed
Powerpoint presentation on figure manipulation.
Back
to Figures
12/15/2008
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